Cases

Ajinomoto Sweeteners Europe SAS v Asda Stores Ltd (No 2)

Held

(1) The single meaning rule did apply to malicious falsehood claims. It was a control mechanism which sought to protect both the defendant's right to freedom of expression and the claimant's right to reputation by striking a balance between the two. Since a claimant who alleged that the words he complained of were defamatory as well as a malicious falsehood was free to choose which cause of action to pursue it was in the interests of legal consistency, and of freedom of expression, that the same rule of interpretation should apply to both torts.

(2) Where there were two reasonably possible meanings, one of which was alleged to be false and the other of which was not, the court should adopt the least injurious meaning.

(3) Although a substantial number of consumers would understand the packaging to be suggesting that there was a risk that aspartame was harmful or unhealthy, the single meaning applying (2) above, was that, if a customer thought that aspartame might be bad for him or unpleasant to taste or consume, then these products were for him.

Also